1 Kings 12:29

29 He put one calf in Bethel, and the other he placed in Dan.

1 Kings 12:29 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 12:29

And he set the one in Bethel
In the southern part of the land, on the border of Ephraim and Benjamin; and the rather he chose this place, because its name signifies the house of God, and had been a sacred place, where Jacob more than once enjoyed the divine Presence:

and the other put he in Dan:
in the northern part of the land, for the convenience of the inhabitants of those parts; and the rather, since it had been a place resorted to in former times, because of the teraphim of Micah there.

1 Kings 12:29 In-Context

27 If these people continue to sacrifice at the LORD's temple in Jerusalem, they will again become loyal to their master Rehoboam, Judah's king, and they will kill me so they can return to Judah's King Rehoboam.

28 So the king asked for advice and then made two gold calves. He said to the people, "It's too far for you to go all the way up to Jerusalem. Look, Israel! Here are your gods who brought you out from the land of Egypt."

29 He put one calf in Bethel, and the other he placed in Dan.

30 This act was sinful. The people went to worship before the one calf at Bethel and before the other one as far as Dan.

31 Jeroboam made shrines on the high places and appointed priests from all sorts of people, but none were Levites.